New movie "Maine Built Boats: Art & Soul" premiered tonight!

[StevenBauer]

Gary Jobson's new documentary about boatbuilding in Maine.

"After almost a year, Gary Jobson, ESPN commentator, former America's Cup Tactician, lecturer and writer has completed his documentary on Maine Boatbuilding. Gary will introduce the WORLD PREMIERE of the movie, which examines and celebrates Maine's 400 year old boatbuilding industry. Come find out what makes Maine Boatbuilders so special, as we all gather for a great night in Rockland!"

Clint and I drove up to Rockland to meet Hughman but the Strand was packed and tickets were sold out. Not to worry, we grabbed a bite and a couple of cold ones and they had a second showing. :) We did miss the reception, though. :( All the big names in Maine boatbuilding were there. The film was great. There's a trailer on the Maine built Boats website: http://www.mainebuiltboats.com/video/default.asp


Steven

[Tom Robb]

For those of us suffering a deprived existance away from Maine, will there be a DVD we can get from Netflix?

[StevenBauer]

Hugh asked Gary Jobson about that after the premiere. In a few weeks, was the answer. :)


Steven

[rbgarr]

The trailer kind of makes it look primarily like an advertising piece. Is there more to the video than that?

[Hughman]

The film was billed as "400 years of Maine boatbuilders".

There was some token discussion on the history - a shot of the launch of J.P.Morgan's "corsair"- for instance; but the main thrust of the piece was interviews of the larger active builders (Hinckley, LymanMorse, Rockport Marine, et al), with the aim of attracting new work.

It got kinda repetitive after a while. nice boat porn, tho. :D

[rbgarr]

Then it's not really a 'documentary' I gather.

Thanks Hugh.

[Clinton B Chase]

I think the film was great, but then I could possibly profit from it someday as might my students. It was definitely aimed at attracting business. I think the film was uplifting for a number of builders up here seriously hurting from the downturn. It buouyed them up a bit, I bet. For us boatbuilder/educators there, like Eric Stockinger from Apprenticeshop, Barry Acker from the Landing School, and myself from Compass (among others, Lance Lee was there and more I am sure), I felt a bit uplifted from the film...we're definitely part of something bigger even when we feel a bit isolated at times. Let's hope this gets us some business in Maine. In the meantime, it is well worth the watch. Copies will be available through Maine Built Boats.

Cheers,
Clint

[Tom Robb]

A marketing piece... nevermind.
I'm guessing that hanging one's economic future on the idle rich's whims is chancy at best.

[Clinton B Chase]

Tom, It is chancy, but all the boatbuilders there truly love what they do and wouldn't have it any other way. One builder has no contract, and instead of laying off his 5 builders, he is putting an addition onto the shop. This is a young boatbuilder, with a wife and baby at home! His passion keeps him going! Lets hope it lasts.

Cheers,
Clint

[rbgarr]

Commercial fishermen make up a significant portion of the business at the shop I work at and I'm very pleased they trust us with their boats. One lobsterman's boat sank a few weeks ago and we got it ashore within five hours, flushed and removed the engine and started repairing the cracks and holes in the hull. Fortunately, she'd been rinsed out pretty thoroughly by the sea so the bait fish/diesel odors were minimized in the heated shop. Rewiring and setting up new engine/instrument harnesses and electronics will be a good chunk of work for us between now and Christmas. We hauled three fishboats today in preparation for the storm whipping through here.

You Call, We Haul. :D

[Tom Robb]

Clint,
It's become painfully obvious that our economic futures are all chancy to one degree or another, and I suppose that anyone building boats must be in it for the love of it. At least commercial workboat stuff has a point beyond blatant mine's-biger-n-yers ego and fashion. My hat's off to the guy w/ the family who's keeping the guys working. God love'em.
Tom